Puzzle.



PATENT-ED APR 17, 1906,

W. w. sums} PUZZLE.

APPLICATION nun Jim. 22, 1906.

'anuawl oz M J W577i ilk lvfnaowa WILLIAM W. SMITH, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 17, 1906.

Application filed January 22, 1906. $erial No. 297,328.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel puzzle which will require considerable ingenuity to solve and which from this reason and as a result also of its peculiar structural features will afford considerable amusement.

The invention consists, essentially, of a conoidal casing in which a weight, preferably designed to simulate some figure, such as an animal, is loosely contained. Attached to the weight is a string or similar flexible member, which passes out through the larger end or base of the casing and which is mounted to run freely through a small aperture in such base. The base is provided with one or more openings, preferably of different sizes, and

the object of the puzzle is to draw the weight out through one of the openings in the base by means of the string alone without inserting ones fingers through the openings to engage the weight. If desired, the proportion of the parts may be such that it will be physically impossible to insert ones fingers through the openings to directly engage and thus withdraw the weight, or it may be indicated by suitable directions for solving the puzzle that it is not permitted to thus withdraw the weight.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my puzzle. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the parts in different positions from those illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a detail view.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The conoidal casing 1, which I prefer to call poke, may be constructed of any desired material. Its base 2 is provided with an aperture 3, preferably located in its cen ter, and it is also provided withone or more openings A, B, and C, preferably of different sizes. The weight 4 in the present instance I prefer to have the form of a pig, which is loosely mounted in the casing and which may be humorously called a pig in a poke. For the purposes of illustration and description only I shall refer to the weight 4 as the pig throughout the specification, although it is to be understood, as set forth in the claims, that any animal or being may be simulated and the weight be of any desired shape.

The pig 4 preferably has its legs indicated only in outline, so that they will not present from the poke by the proper manipulation. The string or other flexible member or suspension device 5 is permanently secured at one end to the under side of the pigs body, near the middle thereof, and extends through the aperture 3 to the outside of the poke and has secured to its other end a ball or button 6, provided with a shank 7 in the form of an eye by which the suspension device is secured thereto. It is to be understood that the suspension device 5 runs freely through the aperture 3. The pig 4 is hollow and is provided in the under portion of its body with a sub stantially circular opening 8, from which there leads a contracted passage or slot 9 toward one end of the body, in the present instance said slot extending toward the rear. The opening 8 is preferably just of a size to admit of passing the ball 6 therethrough, while the passage or slot 9 is preferably of a width just sufficient to permit the shank 7 of the ball of the suspension device 5 passing therethrough toward the end of the pig. One or more of the openings A, B, and C are of a diameter sufficient to permit the pig to be drawn endwise therethrough, and preferably the proportion of the parts is such that the pig cannot be jarred out of the opening or tilted on end to admit of it passing through any one of said openings. Furthermore, I prefer to have only one of said openings sufiiciently large to admit of the passage of the pig, while the other openings are provided as sight-openings or for the purpose of adding a perplexing feature to the solution of the puzzle.

To properly withdraw the pig from the poke, it is necessary for the person playing the game to turn the poke upside down, with its base uppermost. The suspension device 5 is then grasped at a point near its middle and the ball or button 6 is allowed to descend any obstacle to the withdrawal of the pig- IIO- through the proper opening in the base of the I prising a casing provided with an opening, a

poke until by the proper manipulation it passes through the opening 8 in the pig. Then by further proper manipulation the ball or button 6 may be passed outwardly along the inside of the pig with its shank or the suspension device moving through the slot or passage 9. When one end of the passage has been reached, it is evident that a pull exerted upon the suspension device in the proper direction will draw the ball or button 6 in a manner to withdraw the pig end foremost through the proper opening, where'- upon the ball may be disengaged from the pig by Withdrawing it from the opening 8.

From the foregoing description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is evident that I have provided a puzzle which will afford considerable amusement and re quire considerable ingenuity to solve. The structural features of the device itself and the design of the parts whereby it may be properly called a pig in a poke will be in themselves sources of amusement.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new is- 1. In a device of the character described, comprising a casing having an opening therein, a weight mounted in said casing, and a suspension device arranged to run freely through the casing, one end of said suspension device being connected to the weight and the other free therefrom, but arranged to be connected therewith to draw the weigh through said opening.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing having an opening therein, a weight loosely mounted in said casing and arranged to be drawn through said opening, and a suspension device running freely through said casing at a point distinct from said opening, one end of said suspension de vice being attached to said weight and the other end being provided with means whereby it may be detachably connected thereto to draw the weight through said opening.

3. A device of the character described comweight loosely mounted in said casing and designed to pass through said opening, the said weight being provided with an opening, and a suspension device mounted to run through said casing, said suspension device being secured at one end to said weight and provided at its other end with a ball arranged for engagement in said opening in the weight whereby to withdraw the weight through the opening in the casing.

4. A device of the character described comprising acasing provided with an opening, a weight loosely mounted in said casing, and designed to pass through said opening, said weight being provided with an opening and a contracted slot or passage leading therefrom, and a suspension device running through said casing and secured to said weight, the suspension device being provided at one end with a ball or button designed to enter said opening and to be retained therein by the contracted slot or passage, whereby to withdraw the weight through the opening in the casing. I

5. A device of the character described comprising a conoidal casing, the base of which is provided with a central aperture and different sized openings spaced therearound, a weight loosely mounted in said casing and provided with an opening. and a contracted passage leading therefrom, a suspension device mounted to run loosely through said aperture and connected at one end to said weight, and a ball provided with a shank secured to the other end of the suspension device,- said ball being designed to enter the opening in the weight and engage the walls of the slot therein whereby to withdraw the weight from one of the openings in the base of the casing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. I

1 WILLIAM W. SMITH. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

WM.- S. JoNns, FRED W. UNDERWooD. 

